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thompson
Coming Together
Steve Spriester, Myra Arthur, Priscilla Carraman, Andrew Wilson, Azian Bermea, Luis Cienfuegos, Santiago Esparza, Adam Barazza, Alex Gamez, Daniela Ibarra, Eddie Latigo, Nate Kotisso, Alex Diaz, Bill Taylor, Gavin Nesbitt, Robert Samarron, Patty Santos, Katrina Webber,
Henry Keller, Rebecca Salinas
October 24, 2024
The impressive, techie-looking Boeing Center at Tech Port sits on the edge of the Thompson neighborhood
on the Southwest Side of San Antonio. It's also where the area's progress largely ends, according
to the president of the Thompson Neighborhood Association.
“We’d like to see more of those people moving into our neighborhood,” Rudy Lopez said.
The neighborhood is six miles southwest of downtown, located between U.S. Highway 90 and Port San Antonio, with the Union Pacific railroad tracks and Lackland Air Force Base serving as its east and west boundaries, respectively. Kennedy High School sits in its boundaries and generations of neighbors wear their Rocket Pride on their sleeves, but there is also concern they’ve been overlooked and taken for granted. As San Antonio grows,
residents say they don’t see plans to improve Thompson.
Drainage is an issue, neighbors said, but the city wants to clear houses to benefit other neighborhoods. Sidewalks, curbs and lighting in Thompson aren’t common on many streets. Still, there is hope here —
hope that the boom at Port San Antonio will open the eyes of others to the potential and the
promise of this Southwest Side gem.
In this episode of "Know My Neighborhood," KSAT explores the good, the bad, and the frustrating of Thompson, and why residents are standing together to fight the city and to show the passion and sacrifice
of generations who have called this area home.
Thompson was built on a legacy of military service
The history of the Thompson neighborhood is directly linked to military service. Several of the neighborhood namesakes, including the name Thompson itself, are in honor of those who served our country. A high number of Edgewood ISD students also served in Vietnam, a legacy still honored today in an active local brotherhood.
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San Antonio’s proposed drainage project threatens generations of homes
in Thompson neighborhood
Thompson neighborhood residents are close knit. They know their neighbors well because, in many cases, residents are blood-related while other residents have become like family to each other.
The City of San Antonio’s proposed plan to uproot between 100 to 150 homes from the neighborhood to build a flood mitigation pond known as the Concepción Creek Drainage Pond has rankled residents.
We spoke with families fighting against the plan and how they would be impacted
if they are forced to uproot.
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"It’s changed significantly
from when I was young"
Push for equal San Antonio city council
representation born in Thompson,
nearby neighborhoods
Thompson was one of several San Antonio communities that was underrepresented in local city government. In the 1970s, residents were part of the push to create equal representation
that is still in effect today.
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Loose, roaming pets wearing out their welcome
among Thompson neighborhood residents
Thompson residents said they’d like to see other
people’s pets stay closer to home. They said loose dogs, in particular, are roaming the streets and possibly
putting them and their own pets in danger.
It is a problem that has captured the attention of
Animal Care Services. So far this year, the agency
said it has received more than 800 calls from the neighborhood, many of them for loose dogs.
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